Pikz3l - Pixellated

I'm totally digging this tune.

The whole #barbenheimer thing is peak crap of the internet. It's just another oddball cringe trend that people got swept up in because it was weird but when you look back at it, probably be more embarrassing than a fond memory.

I watched the Oppenheimer film. I think it was well casted and the story peaked further interest in the real history of events. I heard people cried at the end of Barbie, but I felt like going through Oppenheimer felt way more emotional. Living through atrocities that people put each other through is maddening and frustrating. Especially if you are helpless against it. And I know people will argue history on how at the time of WW2, they were faced with few choices. But that is one message of the film, it's all about the choices people make and how they impact others.

I lived through 9/11 and I knew my choice was not to do any invasion in the Middle East. Knowing the history of those wars seemed pretty clear to me that the war on terror was not going to make any benefit for the community at home. We now have 20 years of history put into that fiasco. Will this be a lesson learned. No because people just want to pretend it didn't happen. We may not have had a bombing event of that scale again but lives still have been lost to war since.

I'll just give it some more time when media looks to monetize that history some more and see those memes make the rounds. Yikes.

I watched the Netflix Wednesday show and was a bit disappointed. Spoilers ahead.

The show had potential. Started pretty strong with aesthetic and character variety. By the middle to end, the characters were a bit cheapened. Unfortunately the main character began to suffer the Bella Swan (Twilight) effect. Meaning: Bella could do absolutely whatever and still have friends wanting to still be her friend despite ignoring them completely for her own desires.

Wednesday just kept attracting all these friends that she never seemed to reciprocate. It's not exactly the same because at least a few of her friends actually tell her off for being a dick, but it still falls short. Specifically, for the character that goes to jail wrongfully accused of murder but then completely forgives her and buys her a phone at the end of the series.

If the show runners wanted to depict a flawed Wednesday, then at least follow through on the repercussions of those flaws on the people around her. She never actually apologizes for her actions either and second season or not, they should've backed that up with the secondary characters not always accepting her shit. As an attempt of character growth, it just doesn't happen and she ends up being quite flat.

The more I thought about the actions of the supporting characters in dealing with Wednesday, the more disappointing the story became in retrospective. The problem I see as this show is pretty popular, there are most definitely people out there inspired by this character and tend to mimic traits.

I just want to make sure that being goth does not mean be a dick.

René Lalique, Diadem of pearls, diamonds, gold and enamelwork, ca. 1903 (Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim)

Welcome to the world of oligarchy.

This is the situation put together in a few minutes. I guarantee you that every single American and then some get some benefit from the US Government functioning. You may not realize it, but it's a good time to start realizing it now. Because we have to do the best we can to protect it.

Don't forget that it functions because of people like you and me. Normal people make the government work. No rich person would do the job. When the government shuts down, those normal people are out of work for as long as those shut downs take.

That used to mean something when the people on capitol hill didn't come to an agreement. Stop voting for people who don't fight for you. And any rep that pulls out of this agreement because of a tweet should be voted out anyway.

I really need to make some time to watch this show.

Anson Mount and Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike wearing the Starfleet field jacket

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS 1x03 “Ghosts of Illyria” (2022) STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES 1x00 Pilot “The Cage” (1965)

“The field jacket [was] inspired by the landing party jackets in "The Cage”. We went for a classic 1960’s inspired bomber jacket using custom gunmetal delta print and foiled neoprene trim.“ - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds costume designer Bernadette Croft via Instagram

Watch "Star Trek: The Original Series by Balenciaga" on YouTube

This just seems to work so well lol.

Losing the centricity of the main community sucks. But there are other groups starting something. I follow the reddit as the next big community and from there people post discords or other sites. I was actually hoping to find some community on Tumblr too.

I think after participating on and off every year since 2008, I'm OK growing out of it. Then getting into my daily word count year round phase to really embrace writing as a hobby.

This month has been a little weird, because in the past it's been the point of time where me and a few others ramp up for NaNoWriMo event planning.

I decided not to be an ML this year - I'm one of the many breakaway regions forging ahead with an independent event for our writers - but several people had been hoping to work with HQ again, and seeing the chatter around that is sad because it looks like NaNo isn't letting it happen.

Last year at this point, everyone who had volunteered to be an ML had been given instructions for this year, and links to order ML kits (usually the annual stickers). We'd get instructions in Aug on how to update digital spaces for the new year, and were encouraged to start scheduling events.

But it's Aug 1st and HQ has never even asked if anyone wants to volunteer this year. It's looking more and more likely that they have canned the entire Municipal Liason program, and if you don't have MLs what's the point of regions? If the community aspect of NaNo is going away, is it just a website now?

What made NaNo awesome was the other writers I'd hang out with on zoom or coffee shops.

I thought i had already grieved my time with NaNo, it had headed down a path I didn't want to follow and I had put so much energy into it. I'm building something new now even! But it's still so, so sad to think that it's just not my participation that has ended, but an entire program. And soon, I suspect, an entire organization.

NaNo is running on fumes, spiraling down and alienating so much of its old user base due to poor management and communication. Will it even run in November, I'm not entirely sure. I don't know if the donations they've received coverage servers fees.

Writers might have to do NaNo, or just write a draft in November, solo and that sounds so sad. I've only ever won because of my community (my region had at least 20 events scheduled in November).

I'd encourage people to reach out to old regions if you can - see if there's a grassroots community it morphed into. Or just any writing community - mine is hybrid now and all our writing events in November will have zoom options.

I hoped maybe the new HQ would build something that would work for someone, but i have a sneaking suspicion that it won't. NaNoWriMo might just become something like NoShaveNovember or Dry January. A thing you do, but no official community.

Feeling real bummed about this, because i volunteered with NaNo for 5 years and wrote for 12.

This is badass fan art.

"My Lord, you are coming back, aren't you?"

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